Little Bird
by HvdWriting
Summary: Aya and Erik grew up together. Now she is fighting in the resistance in a war ravaged country split in two. Erik means to capture her and bring her back. But for what purpose? Romance/Action/Drama OC characterXErik Killmonger Warning: Adult themes and Language
1. Captured Bird

**NOTES**

 **Hey all! This is my first creative writing I have published so sorry it's a little rough around the edges. This creative writing is featuring Erik Killmonger from Black Panther, played by Micheal B. Jordan for all of you who might like a visual. I am currently working on additional chapters. Let me know what you guys think and I hope you like it!**

 **CHAPTER 1**

The resistance had been fighting for as long as she could remember and even longer before. She was raised from a child to a fighter and took to the bow better than anything else, even more so than a gun. But of course she knew how to use that too.

The Sultan's Council had been pushing hard for months and the resistance pushed back even harder. The resistance had become a sharp thorn in the side of the council and had caused millions in damage, creating domestic turmoil via bombings and network attacks. Aya had gained much reputation among the enemy forces as the years passed. A reputation of beauty, her flaming red hair contrasted by her blue and green eyes. And reputation of her deadly precision with her bow. She never missed.

The guerrilla attack was supposed to be quick in and out but the council knew they were coming. The battle was fierce and her arrows had taken out many of the enemy soldiers. The metal bridges across the gorge shook with the early detonation of the explosives. Much too early. Soldiers enemy and ally alike were blown off the bridges from the explosion. Aya barely escaped the fall, losing her bow in the process as everything around her shook.

A form appeared as she squinted her eyes to see through the dust and debris. It settled and eyes stared back at her from across the gorge. Her breath inhaled sharply as she felt the metal bridge start to give from under her. While her hands lurched out to hang onto the railing the figure leaped across the gorge and landed on the metal bridge behind her, causing her to turn around to face them.

He was tall in comparison to her, muscular. He had light brown skin and dark brown hair pulled back into rows. He was wearing different attire than the rest of the soldiers. Black and sleek, with an insignia she did not recognize. She looked at him with panic as she felt the metal bridge shake.

She turned and sprinted across the bridge, her flame hair whipping wildly. She could hear his foot steps behind her as she sprinted across the bridge towards the ship. She stopped suddenly, her arms wrapping around the railing as the metal in front of her twisted off and plummeted into the gorge. Without warning she blindly swung out behind her. He had ducked under her swing and she felt his arm wrap around her waist and then her legs as he lifted her onto his shoulder, his other hand grasping the arm that swung at him. Now her only free arm was completely useless as she tried in vain to strike his back, his body armor nullifying any damage she could possibly do. She yelled in frustration.

"AYA! We're coming for you!" She heard Connor yell from the hover, barely audible over the roaring of twisting metal and the fighting. The man carrying her turned and she saw Connor in the entrance of the ship pointing his rifle.

"DROP HER!" Connor snarled over the roar of the hover engine, his eye on the scope of his rifle.

"Are you really going to risk shooting her?" The man laughed and shouted back as the metal bridge swayed. Hesitation showed clear on Connor's face but he didn't lower his rifle. Without warning another hover rose up between Connor and the metal bridge. The man carried her forward onto the ship as she struggled to get away. He stepped through the door of the hover and Aya watched it close behind her as she felt the aircraft turn and shift.

She turned her head to look around the ship but saw no one piloting it. It had responded to a calling beacon. The man suddenly brought her down from his shoulder and she quickly pulled back out of his reach. Before she could say anything the man turned and walked to the console of the hover and set it for whatever destination he intended. The hover lurched and turned toward the hover with Connor and Lisa onboard. Aya ran to the window and watched desperately as their hover struggled, smoke bellowing from the back turbine as it took fire from one of the foot soldiers still on the opposite bridge. Connor shot up a hateful glance and the man beside her chuckled and waved before the hover sped forward almost making her lose her footing. She quickly reached out and grasped the netting on the wall to steady herself, distinctly but slowly edging away from the man who had taken her captive.

He turned his head towards her and she studied his features silently. He stared back, leaning slightly on the wall behind him. He was handsome, looked about her age maybe a few years older. She guessed 25, 26.

"You should sit down, we will be there soon." He said, nodding his head towards the bench on the wall.

"Where?"

"The main city, we have a quarters waiting just for you little bird."

She furrowed her brow at his nickname that he gave her but said nothing, her mind swirled in anxiety at what was waiting for her. Interrogation? Torture? The corner of his mouth tilted slightly upward at her reaction. He turned and leaned over the console. Aya took this opportunity to look around and study the hover. Her fingers fidgeted at the absence of her bow. Her eyes then rested on the back of his head.

Her mind calculated and decided now would be her best chance to fight and escape. With his eyes still focused on the console she slipped the knife out of the sheath hidden under her waist band and threw it skillfully at the back of his head. Her hand was already reaching for the one tucked into her boot when the loud clunk of her knife hit the windshield of the hover and not the intended target. She heard the footsteps rushing forward and she swung upward with the knife. He sidestepped grabbing her arm, trying to lock it out to no avail as she twisted out of his grip. Bringing the knife back around she slashed at his unprotected throat. He quickly leaned back, the knife barely missing his neck and immediately pushed forward, trapping her arm against her chest. One of his hands gripping her wrist as his body crushed her against the wall. She let out a grunt as her lungs compressed and her breath escaped her body.

She sucked in air desperately as she tried to free her arm from his powerful grip. "Drop it." He said calmly, "I know for a fact you aren't as good hand to hand as you are with that little bow of yours." His grip tightened and she let the knife drop to the floor, her breath still struggling to fill her lungs, her vision hazy. The man turned and pushed something on a wall screen not far from her head and a long cylinder slide down and out from out of the wall. "I had a feeling you were going to get feisty little bird." He said as he swiftly picked her up. She protested but couldn't muster any strength after having the wind knocked out of her. He gently set her into the cylinder and she kicked at him rebelliously. He chuckled at her and folded her legs down forcefully as the cylinder container closed over her. She punched and kicked the glass to no avail and let out an angry yell, immediately sucking in air to quell her suffering lungs. He watched her a moment before turning and walking back to the console.

Within the cylinder she realized for the first time how exhausted she was after the battle. Against her better judgement she decided to regain her strength as she drifted off, everything around her closing to black. She dreamed of Connor and Lisa. She dreamed of them making it home safely.


	2. Sweet Memories

**NOTES**

 **Thank you all for the support on my first chapter! I am continuing to write chapters. If you have any feedback or questions I would love to hear from you guys. Thank you for reading my work!**

 **CHAPTER 2**

She came too with a loud thud as a sudden motion jerked her awake. Her head spun around and she realized they were moving her off the hover. Soldiers surrounded the cylinder which seemed to already be moving towards an unknown destination. She looked out of the glass to the familiar sight of towering buildings, modern, reaching far up. She looked to her right and saw the man from earlier walking with them and another man walking by his side, talking energetically. This man was short and fat. He wore the uniform of an officer and his chest was obnoxiously covered in medals.

"An estate room? Surely this is a joke Erik." The man scoffed then looked at her and did a double take before turning back to speak. "She should be brought immediately to interrogation while she lacks strength."

"Erik?...Erik..." Her mind jogged and she couldn't grasp why. "Little bird…" Her brain shot back to when he had called her that earlier.

"Enough, I will decide who is interrogated Kinely." Erik said as he stopped and turned towards the stubby man. "She is not to…."

Aya could no longer see or hear the two as the cylinder and the soldiers continued to their destination. She watched as they transported her into the palace, a towering building soaring above the rest, its grandeur unchallenged. After what seemed like an eternity and a multitude of hallways, the soldiers finally led her into a well lavished room. She looked around curiously through the glass as the soldiers about-faced and left her there. She sat inside the cylinder quietly for what seemed like a minute and jumped slightly as the cylinder door suddenly opened. She cautiously sat upright and looked around before stepping onto a very expensive looking carpet. The cylinder closed behind her as she continued studying the room. The tapestries were silken draped down from the ceilings. The room was spacious and decorated tastefully, the overall feel traditional, regal and modern. The bed was excessively large and draped in luxurious fine cotton and pillows. She noticed a pile of clothes sitting at the foot of it on an ottoman. There was the large set of double doors that she had arrived through to her left. And to her right she could see another set of double doors. She walked forward and slowly opened them. Peering through carefully she saw a beautiful bathroom, designed with a generous amount of marble. She scoffed at the luxuries around her. It had been a long time since she had been in the palace. She was but a small child when her parents defected to the resistance. They were part of the Sultan's Council and used their political ties to escape as the country split and cracked underneath the weight of war. It didn't take long before they were hunted down and Aya was left to be raised by the resistance.

She walked over to the bed and sat down, her hands cupping her face, her forehead wrinkling in thought.

"Erik." She murmured.

She had grown up with Erik in the palace. Their parents had been building their childhoods together for a political marriage. Influenced but not arranged. They had spent many years together and were close before her parents defected. She remembered Erik's nickname for her. Little bird. She remembered him kissing her in the royal gardens one day when they were playing. A shy peck. They were so young, so innocent before the war. What would he do with her now?

Her mind reeled back from her memories as she heard doors open. She turned and watched as Erik strolled into the room. She rose from the bed and stood silently. He was wearing loose harem pants. His muscular front partially visible through long open sleeveless tunic. It became evident to her they were not children anymore.

"I hope you will find your space comfortable. This is where you will be staying from now on." He said, his eyes watching her intently. "A change of clothes as well." She met his gaze defiantly as he stood there. He seemed to contemplate her whole being without his eyes ever leaving hers. She could tell he was dissecting her and she kept her expression emotionless.

"Why am I here?"

"Because I will it."

She stared at him confusion, painting her face for a moment. She was fighting an internal war and was losing.

"Erik." She said, "I..." She trailed off as her emotions swirled inside her, searching for words to say to him but she was lost. What was she supposed to say after all these years? His expression softened and walked slowly towards her. His bare feet silent across the floor. She shuffled uncomfortably at his approach and took a step backward, maintaining some space between them. He stopped.

"Did you think I would forget about you?" He murmured as he reached his hand out to shift some strands of hair from her face. She turned her head away from him. "My parents were defectors Erik." She said, some pain in her voice. She looked up at him. "And so am I. We became unbound a long time ago."

"You were just a child, you were going to be my bride." He stated. "The choices your parents made can be forgotten. Yours can be forgotten too." Before she could speak he had cupped her face. Aya griped the forearm of the hand holding her chin, her other hand pushing against his strong frame.

"Erik, what…" She exclaimed before feeling his lips crash into hers. He had caught her mid sentence and she felt his mouth melt into hers. An electric jolt ran through her body as her breath hitched and she closed her lips tight against his. Defiantly keeping his mouth at bay. She heard him chuckle under his breath and he pulled away to look at her, his hand still gripping her chin.

He stared down into her eyes.

"You were always fiery Aya." He said, the corner of his mouth pulling up into a smirk.


	3. Challenger

**NOTES**

 **I have a creative kick going today I guess so here is the third chapter. I should be releasing the fourth chapter in the next two days so keep your eyes peeled. Thank you all for the support and please leave reviews with any feedback or questions!**

 **CHAPTER 3**

The indignity of the entire situation, her capture, her parents and the kiss had welled up and burst out of her in the form of a slap across his face. Yeah, she had gotten a little mad.

Anger had flashed across his face but he made no moves to retaliate. She had sat back waiting for him to return the favor but he stood silently, with that god damned smirk on his face. "Soon you will be able to hit me all you like." Erik replied to her agitation. She furrowed her brows in confusion and he just laughed as he touched his face where she had slapped him. He turned and walked out of the room without saying anything else.

What the hell was that supposed to mean? Regardless of her confusion she still liked the idea very much in her current state of mind. She let out a sigh of annoyance.

The wait staff had come and gone with her food, she watched them go, noting the guards at the door. She didn't sleep that night. She laid awake thinking of Connor and Lisa. She hoped they had made it back home safely. She thought of the people they had lost in the blast, her mind flashing to their faces. Memorializing them into her memory. She thought of her childhood. She thought of Erik and the way he kissed her. A feeling of shame washed over her as she recalled the way she felt when he kissed her. Thinking, thinking, thinking. She was still thinking as the sun's rays intruded into her room as she sat before the glass pane wall facing out overlooking the outer edge of the city, the mountains in the far distance. The rays peaked over the mountains coloring them a majestic purple. A feeling of nostalgia and homesickness overcame her. She forced herself up from her cross legged position and walked over to the wall screen next to the thick paned glass. She pressed a few commands and the computer dimmed the windows to a dark grey. She wasn't in the mood for a sunrise.

A further intrusion came as one of the wait staff walked in. A young girl. She was dressed in a loose fitted cotton tunic. A sash decorated with a triangle pattern adorned her waist.

"Master Erik requests your presence in the training room."

She raised her eyebrows in surprise. "The training room?" Her said, amused. "Yes Mam.", She kept her eyes lowered but extended her hands in the direction of the ottoman. "The second pair should be suitable for training." Aya walked towards the foot of the bed and picked up the first set of clothes, revealing a second pair. She held it up, letting it unfold itself and studied it curiously.

"Very well. Give me a moment please." She said reluctantly.

"Yes, Mam." The servant bowed her head slightly and left the room. Aya put on the outfit and walked into the bathroom and studied herself in the mirror. The top was a dark fitted material that hugged her body. She could see the lean definition that years of training had given her. Years of fighting. The material was light but she could tell it was tear resistant. The sleeves extended down to her elbows and had cut outs at the shoulders, collar of the shirt reached half way up her neck. The pants were also dark in color and hugged her body, extending to her mid thigh. They had a slitted skirt attached at the waist that reached down and matched the length of the fabric underneath. She could feel the fabric cool itself. She turned and walked through the doors barefoot. The guards posted on both sides of the door did not move.

"I am ready."

The servant bowed her head once more and turned for Aya to follow. She led her through a series of hallways and Aya's memory of the palace began to reassemble itself. Before long they had arrived at the doors of the training room.

"Mam."

"Thank you." Aya, bowed her head slightly in gratitude. The young girl looked at her and flustered. Bowing again hastedly and then rushed off down the hallway. Her short quick steps scuffling against the carpet. Aya smiled and then turned towards the door, her smile quickly turned to an expression of apprehension. She wiped it from her face and put on an emotionless expression as she walked through the doors.

Erik was seated at the center of the room facing away from her on the mat floor, specially designed for absorbing impacts and minimizing injury while training. The room was well light and generously sized. She could see compartments built into the walls with their accompanying wall screens beside them.

"Bet you can't wait to get a few hits on me huh little bird?" He said rising and turning towards her.

Her irritation boiled at his nickname. She was no longer little, she would make this evident to him. His eyes picked out the irritation and he laughed lightly. He was wearing dark pants that matched hers. His upper body was bare, he wore an armband with a tribal design on his right arm. The Erik before her was a stark contrast from the bone thin child she knew growing up. She averted her eyes from him and nodded towards the wall screen.

"Lady's choice." He replied.

She felt his eyes on her as she approached the wall screen, she simply touched the screen and the compartment beside her opened up and flattened against the wall showcasing a multitude of weapons. She chose a simple staff, one that suited her height and weight preference. Erik was across the room and did the same. She strolled to the middle of the mat and they squared their posture against each other. She felt her anxiety build, she didn't know what to expect. She knew her area of excellence was her bow but she was determined to wipe that smirk off his face.

She inhaled sharply -


	4. Play Rough

**NOTES**

 **Hey all! Thank you to all my new followers, please leave reviews when you can I would love to hear some feedback from you guys. The Chapter is a little short but I have the fifth in the works and it should be posted no later than Monday. Thank you all for the support. Peace and love. :)**

 **CHAPTER 4**

And launched herself forward with a roar as she brought her staff sweeping low. Erik jumped back, her staff whipping underneath his feet. He brought his staff across for her head and she ducked her body low and swung her staff back to strike his face. Erik brought up his arm to block and grabbed the end of her staff. Instinctively she closed the distance to make the range of his weapon useless. She slide her hand forward, allowing the staff to move through her hand and pushed her shoulder into him. As she did so she placed her foot over his, keeping him from regaining his footing. Erik had no choice but to let go of her staff and break fall onto his back. Her face held a triumphant smile as she raised her staff to strike him. Before she could bring down her staff she felt his foot hook behind her ankle and yank her leg off balance while his other foot pressed forward locking out her knee. She was swept down onto her back, her leg still tangled between Erik's feet as he used them to pull himself closer to her.

She tried to sit upright to swing her staff but Erik brought the end of his down onto her shoulder, pinning her to the floor as he shifted his weight over her. Using his weight to pin her. She winced as the staff pressed into her pressure point. Erik stopped pressing and placed his hand next to her bringing his face down to hers.

"You did good little bird." He watched in slight amusement as her nostrils flared in agitation at his nickname. "Don't worry, you will have many opportunities to kill me."

Aya involuntarily let out a sigh of frustration with his weight pressed onto her. She watched Erik's eyes make a triangle motion. From her blue eye to her green eye and then down to her mouth. His tongue instinctively darted out to lick his lips. She immediately closed her mouth and pressed her lips together, clenching her jaw. His eyes steadied on hers and the corner of his mouth pulled upward into that damned smirk as he let out a breathy laugh. He sat upright and removed his staff from her shoulder and brought his hands up above his head as to suggest that he wouldn't be trouble. "Alright." He simply replied as he tucked his feet under his legs and lifted himself off of her. She stood up and rubbed her sore shoulder as he walked a few paces from her and hung his staff in the wall compartment.

"Let's eat together tonight."

She paused and looked up at him. "You expect me to dine with my enemy?" She replied exasperatedly, rubbing her pressure point.

"You are not my enemy." Something flashed in his eyes she did not recognize. "Besides….. I know you are curious about all the years that have passed." His eyes seemed to stare into her soul and she broke his gaze turning away from him.

"If this is your own way of getting information out of me Erik, you might as well send me to the interrogation room."

"That is not what this is." His voice trailed behind her. It sounded…..forlorn almost. She turned to face him and his expression was now stoic.

"Okay." She replied.


	5. Time For Dessert

**NOTES**

 **Hello Lovelies! Here is the 5th chapter I promised. I hope I made up for the last chapter being a tad short with this one. Enjoy and don't forget to leave any feedback or questions you have, I enjoy hearing from all of you. I will be posting the next chapter within the next few days hopefully. Thank you guys for reading!**

 **CHAPTER 5**

What the hell was wrong with her? She thought to herself. She was freshly showered and spread out on her bed staring at the ceiling. Her stomach growled in hunger and the hanging tapestries stared back at her. She turned her head to look at the dress she had laid out on the bed beside her.

Green. her parents had always liked that color on her. It was flowy and she liked the way it cascaded over her curves. It hung down from the neck leaving her shoulders and upper back bare and reached down to the floor. She sighed and forced herself up from the bed. She dressed herself and threw her hair up in a messy updo. She wore some simple low heels.

She looked into the mirror one last time and a strand of hair from her messy updo fell into her face. She brushed it aside and shrugged. Looking good hadn't really been on the priority list anytime recently. Her blue and green eye stared back at her. Blue from her mother, and green from her father. Sadness and anger welled up inside her as she remembered the day the sultan's council had wiped out one of the resistance bases. The one her and her parents had been stationed at. Her 7 year old self flashed into her mind, being carried away by Connor who was 19 at the time. She remembered him carrying her screaming and kicking onto the landing pad to the hover as the mountain base collapsed inward into itself under the immense barrage of anti-structure missiles. Her, Connor, and a handful of others including Lisa, had been the only survivors of that attack. Hundreds had lost their lives. It created a huge dent in the resistance and they had been fighting to catch up ever since. She put all of her anger of losing her parents into her training, especially when training with her bow. She spent hours perfecting her technique and drilling. Waiting for the day she could stick an arrow in every member of the council's chest.

A gun was much too quick for them.

She took a deep breath and pushed down her hatred. She turned and walked through the set of doors out into the hallway. To her surprise the guards were not posted at her door. The young servant girl was waiting for her, she bowed. Aya returned the gesture with a nod and smile and the girl turned and led her down the hallway. The more she was lead through the palace the more her memory rebuilt itself. Her heels clicked dully as she walked across the carpet of the hallway, she stared down. It was just like she remembered, intricate designs of purple and red danced beneath her feet and she pictured herself as a little girl running through the hallways. Chasing Erik because he had stolen her hair pin again. She sighed at the feelings of nostalgia welling up inside her. Of how close her and Erik use to be.

Who was he supposed to be to her now? She fumbled with the answer in her head. A strange place to hold someone, somewhere between friend and enemy.

She shook herself out of her head and back into reality as the young girl approached a hallway blocked by a set of guards. She nodded and they let them pass. The girl led her to a set of doors and stepped to the side and bowed. Aya bowed her head and continued through. The doors opened into a large dining room. Not nearly as large as the main dining hall but still spacious. The room was well lit with chandeliers and tapestries lined the walls. Spaced between them were beautiful pieces of art, a mixture of Wakandan and Ferelian influences. The two countries had been at war for a long time but eventually they both grew tired of the fighting. Especially Ferelian, who had been unsuccessfully trying to hide the fact they had a growing resistance within their own borders. A resistance that had grown among the people who were practically slaves, the people her parents spoke for in the council. The voices of a people ignored.

The Ferelians had also secured black market access to vibranium. How, Wakanda did not know, but it made the war gross heavy casualties on both sides. Ferelian's family had offered their hand in marriage to Wakanda in order to avoid the political faux pas of - well, conquering or being conquered as the rest of the world stood watching. No one can say who really would have won in the end, but they both agreed to a period of peace.

She turned her attention forward and studied the long elegant table before her. All the chairs had been removed except two towards the end. Erik was seated at the very end of the table and he rose to greet her. Before he could move to guide her to her seat she had already made her way along the table. She approached her seat awkwardly, not sure what to do.

"It's just like I remember." She looked up at him. He was wearing a maroon button up shirt, the sleeves were rolled up to his elbows and it showcased his strong defined arms. He was wearing black slacks and there was a wakandan style sash tied artfully around his waist. A prominent but elegant triangle pattern decorated the sash in gold and dark red. He wore a pure black ring on his left hand, the top of the ring was the face of a panther. Wakanda's national symbol. Erik's family, who had been close to the throne had moved here to secure political ties with the Ferelian Council members, the Sultan's court. The court they had been apart of before her parents fled to the rebellion.

Erik smiled and stared at her intensely for a second or two before walking behind her. Her head turned to track him and he laughed as he reached out and pulled her chair out for her. "Relax." She fidgeted for a moment before sitting down. Her hands folded in front of her and Erik seated himself. "If you looked any more nervous I would say you were guilty of treason." He joked, his voice playfully picking at her. She couldn't help but chuckle at his little poke at her. She felt her body relax and she threw a grin at him. "Suppose I have a habit of that don't I?" Erik smirked and lifted his hand in a waving motion. The servant posted at the far door to their left bowed and left, presumably to alert the kitchen they were ready for their meal.

"And what are you planning on serving a treasonous wretch like me?" She replied teasingly, her hands folded under her chin and her elbows resting on the table. She never had much regard for table manners.

She watched the corner of his mouth turn upward. Her eyebrow raised and just as she was about to open her mouth two servants entered the room carrying their meals. She looked at Erik suspiciously. The servants placed the plates in front of them and removed the covers. Indeed, it was her favorite. A Wakandan dish Erik's parents always use to make them, pap en vleis. Maiz porridge and barbecued meat. "You trying to butter me up?" Her eyes lifted from the plate of food, the delicious aroma fanning her face. One of the servants who had come in opened a cold bottled wine and poured their glasses generously before Erik waved them all away.

"It IS your welcome home dinner." He sat back, his hands cupping the arms of the chair. She looked back at her plate and hesitated. Her long programmed survival instinct chirping up in the back of her mind. She knew Erik saw her gears turning because her hesitation elicited a chuckle from him. "I will do the honors this time." He laughed taking his first spoon and dipped it into the steaming porridge. She pretended not to watch him swallow the food as she slowly followed his lead. She brought the spoon to her mouth and her mind reminisced as the flavors brought back a the memories of all the dinners their families shared together. She felt a lump well up in her throat and her eyes start to water. She fought the feeling down hoping he would not notice. She shifted uncomfortably and Erik looked up from his food.

"Brings back memories doesn't it?" He said, lifting the glass of wine in front of him to his lips, letting the aroma of it hit his nose before drinking any. She said nothing but nodded. His eyes stayed on her expectantly. She felt as though the questions racking her brain would crack and burst through her skull.

"Why did you stay?" She breathed. "Why did your family stay? They could have come with us."

"This isn't the time or place Aya." Anger welled up inside her and she turned her body towards him, her hand gesturing wide. "So when is a right time or place Erik?"

"We saw what was available for us here, my parents saw the risk your parents took." He replied. "It didn't make a difference I suppose." He took a large gulp of wine. Her brow furrowed. "Where are they?"

"After the fall and rebuilding of the Sultan's Council my parents returned to Wakanda." He replied, a tinge of pain in his voice. "But yet you are here?" She asked, puzzled.

"I asked them to let me stay." He said. "It took a lot of convincing for them to leave me behind, their only son. But eventually they listened." She simply stared at him, waiting for him to continue. He breathed a long sigh.

"Your food is getting cold."

"You know I am not here for the food." Her voice replied, filled with annoyance. He let out a breathy laugh and looked down at his plate briefly. "Another time little bird." That frustration inside her boiled over. "And what time would that be Erik?" Some venom in her voice now. "I have been waiting for years." He watched her calmly, his face stoic. "And I haven't?" He threw back at her. She felt the anger swirling in her chest but she relented. "I have other questions." He smiled. "I knew you would."

"You obviously knew who you were looking for when you...brought me here." She stated simply, rather than as a question. She took a spoonful of porridge and scooped a piece of meat onto it before lifting it to her mouth. "I did." He replied, his eyes leaving her for a moment. He paused before continuing. "I had been looking for you for awhile." he stated.

"Why?" She asked without looking up. The porridge was delicious and she realized how hungry she had been. She had forgotten what it was like to eat something else besides field rations. "How could I let my childhood friend be gone to a losing cause?" He asked rhetorically. Her spoon clanked against her bowl as she dropped it. Her nostrils flared, "And who said that was your choice to make? Your people weren't the ones enslaved by the Ferelians." She swiftly wiped her mouth with her napkin and rose to her feet, her eyes red and watery. "Losing or not at least I stood for something. Unlike you." She looked him up and down with poison in her eyes. She watched a quick flash of irritation cross his face fleetingly as she twisted her knife of words. "Aya." He said getting up. "You and your parents, they left us behind!" She continued angrily, her fists balled and her words fell out of her mouth. The colors of her irises becoming more bright and vibrant against the reddening whites of her eyes.

Erik swept towards her and she extended her arm forward to stop his advance. "Erik." She warned. He ignored her warning as his hand grasped the extended wrist and she felt his strong arm pull her into him as she let an angry howl and let her other balled fist come down into his chest. She felt his free arm wrap around her mid back and press her flat against him. "I. Did. Not. Leave. You. Behind." She heard the anger in his voice. He continued. "My parents didn't either, did you really think they were safe to stay here?" He said, his voice dropping off to a quiet whisper as if someone was listening. Her chest heaved against his angrily."Then why didn't you come with us if it wasn't safe?" She asked quietly. Erik shook his head. She sighed and rolled her eyes, her anger waning. She said nothing and stood there, absorbing what he had said. He loosened his arm around her as he felt her calm. "Stay for dessert."

She shook her head in an angry, childish manner. Her anger still wallowing. That damned smirk crossed his face and he laughed leaning down to kiss her forehead. She tried to push against him to no avail. She wished he was still a bony little boy. "I had them make your favorite dessert too." She felt him whisper against her forehead and she froze.

He released her from his hold and she looked up at him with an annoyed pout, her mouth watering.


	6. Intermission

Hey lovelies! Sorry I have not been able to post recently like I said I would. I am currently in the middle of getting out of the military and moving back home so I likely wont be able to post till around the 30th. Thank you guys for your patience and understanding! This is a huge transition for me and I know you guys will understand. :)


	7. Intermission Over

p style="text-align: center;"span style="text-decoration: underline;"strongIntermission Over/strong/span/p  
p style="text-align: center;" /p  
p style="text-align: center;"strongHey all! I am officially back from my intermission. I am now officially out of the military and living back home with my family. I hope you all like the 6th chapter and I will have the 7th out shortly. I will be making a poll for an important question that I am sure you may have wondered about so please be sure to participate! Thank you guys for your patience and support as I resettled back to my home state. See you soon lovelies! /strong/p 


	8. So Predictable

**CHAPTER 6**

"You weakling." She mumbled in disappointment as her reflection stared back at her in the mirror. Sneaky Erik. She huffed and walked over to the bed, falling face first into the pillowy covers. Her mind back to when they were leaving the dining hall, the servant girl leading her away.

" _What else is in this hallway?" Aya asked, curious as to why there were guards posted._

 _The servant girl looked back at her and hesitated for a moment. "Master Erik's quarters." She said, sounding unsure if she was suppose to say such a thing._

" _Ah." Aya said with a nod. She guessed the servant girl had grown a liking to her if she was willing to answer her questions._

 _The servant girl said nothing else and continued leading her back to her room._

Her mind ticked. Erik's quarters were in that hallway. She already knew what she was going to do, but how was she going to do it? She needed answers, she needed to get back to Lisa and Connor. They had met in the resistance, Aya had been close with them but when her parents died they took her in and raised her like their own. They were her family. Her heart ached wondering if they were okay. Maybe Erik knew? He was there like the other soldiers, they must have reported back. Maybe the information trickled to him somewhere in the pipeline. She stared at her ceiling thinking for a long time before finally falling asleep. It was an uneasy slumber, dreamless.

The next morning the servant girl brought her breakfast. Aya sat up in the bed and greeted her. "What's your name?" Aya inquired curiously. The servant girl looked up from the tray she had placed beside the bed, hesitating for a moment. "Mina. My name is Mina."

"Mina." Aya paused. "How long have you been working in the palace?"

Mina smiled at her. "A long time. My mother served in the palace and she taught me how to as well." She paused and gave a sideways glance at Aya. "You use to live in the palace didn't you?"

"How did you know?"

"I overheard master Erik talking about you as children once." She flustered a bit knowing servants weren't supposed to listen so openly.

"Is he kind to you?" She asked Mina, watching her face intently. She lit up a bit. "Yes, he is kind. He has a bit of a temper," She chuckled. "but I have never seen him turn it on anyone that didn't deserve it. He is much kinder than some of the others here...", She paused and Aya looked at her, egging her to continue. "Like the General Kinely. He is not a kind man." She trailed off and turned her face away and pretended to play with the silverware on the tray. Aya thought back to when she arrived on the airstrip and remembered that fat man's face. She felt anger rising inside of her; knowing he had done something to Mina. "I could tell he was not a nice man." She concluded out loud. Mina turned to her and nodded, her eyes lowered to the floor. "You might see him at the ball unfortunately, if Erik decides to have you attend."

Ah, the ball. She remembered attending it once or twice as a child once she was considered old enough. It was held every year and all of the most prestigious families in Ferelian attended. The Council Members would no doubt be there. Her mind ticked at how she could manage to kill all of them and concluded she couldn't get very far by herself. She let out a visibly annoyed sigh.

Mina laughed, having no clue as to her murderous intent. "I am sure Erik will let you attend if you bother him enough. You can get under his skin, unlike the rest of us." She threw her a small mischievous smile. Aya laughed.

"Yeah, maybe I can."

Mina left the room and Aya sat there for awhile not touching her breakfast. She could get under his skin and she knew it. She didn't like to be manipulative but she had to admit she had a way with people. Maybe she could convince him to come with her - back to the resistance. She remembered their conversation and how he had said his parents had returned back to Wakanda. She contemplated for awhile longer and by the time she remembered her food it was cold. She sighed and gobbled it down, It was certainly better than expired field rations.

She spent most of the day walking the palace grounds with Mina. The northern part outside the palace was all gardens and parks for recreational activities; it was nearly the same as she remembered it. They were resting in the shade of a beautiful fountain when Mina's head jerked and she rose to her feet, bowing. Aya already knew who it was before she turned her head to see Erik standing there.

"You are relieved of babysitting Mina."

Mina smiled and bowed before slipping off through the hedges and blooms of roses. Aya snorted and rolled her eyes. "So you are my babysitter now are you?" She jested. Erik smiled and walked to her side.

"A someone told me you wanted to go to the ball."

"Can I?" She raised an eyebrow. "You sure someone won't try to kill me?" She inquired, only half joking. He looked down at her, a smirk on his face. "You are under my diplomatic protection. No one is going to touch a hair on your head." He said, matter of factly. The tone in his voice told her he meant it. There was a silence between them for a moment as she formulated her thoughts into sentences. "Erik." She said, hesitation in her voice. This was going to be harder than she thought. She directed her gaze up at him and his face remained stoic but softened somewhat as he tilted his head. She looked around before regaining eye contact. "Why are you still here?…you could..." She trailed off her brow furrowing with the complicated thoughts running through her head. God she was doing worse than she thought she would. He sighed.

"I have my reasons, you need to trust me." He shifted his body weight and his gaze was now contemplative. Dissecting.

She let out a huff of laughter as she turned her head away, looking at the ripples in the fountain. "Okay."

"I know we've been living in different worlds…" He started - "And Lisa and Connor?" She interrupted him. "Have you heard anything?"

"The two in the hover." Erik stated and she nodded. The pause seemed like an eternity in her mind, she knew she heard his answer but for a split second it all sounded muted. Distant.

"Alive."

She exhaled before she even realized she was holding her breath. She looked down at the ground briefly before meeting his eyes. "Thank you." She could tell he knew she was still agitated with him. "Let's train." He said, a mischievous smile crossing his features.

So predictable Erik.


End file.
